There was a fire in the 1890s that destroyed business buildings on this block. In 1893 a steam powered merry-go-round was put on this block by a man named Mahaffey. There was a small child who tried to jump on it while it was in motion and he was severely injured, not long after the incident the business was sold and the merry-go-round was taken away. Several years passed and on the east corner where the Vanivort Drug Store is now sat the First National Bank. It was the second largest bank in Salem when it opened for business on October 16, 1905. Its capital at that time was $25,000.00. George W. Peck was President. W. C. Askin was Vice President and W. J. Bennett was the cashier. The bank was in this building for several years.

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